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Japanese New Year's Eve TV show with blackface sparks outrage

World news 4 January 2018
A Japanese TV programme has come under fire after allowing one of the country's most famous comedians to paint his face black to impersonate Eddie Murphy. The New Year's Eve show featuring Masatoshi Hamada has sparked a debate, especially over whether Japanese audiences are aware of how the practice of blackface is widely deemed as racist.
Photo via @BayeMcneil
· 31 Dec 2017

meanwhile in Japan: a comedian with blackface is on a roughly 7 hour long national TV program😡🤯😠 I just wanted to end the year peacefully but no 2017 won’t let me

147 replies . 610 retweets 1,286 likes
· 31 Dec 2017

Note to japanese performing in : is not a punchline nor a prop. Need jokes? Get better writers. Need a black character, get a black actor that speaks Japanese. There are several! But please not a good look!

312 replies . 2,406 retweets 3,770 likes
· 31 Dec 2017
Replying to

This Japanese comedian was dressed up as Eddy Murphy! How this is racist?????!?! You are spreading a mass hysteria. Please calm down. And stop!

130 replies . 188 retweets 906 likes
· 31 Dec 2017
Replying to

While I understand your point on mass hysteria, we cannot be ignorant of the history of racial bigotry and its consequences. He dressed up as Eddy Murphy and probably did not have ill intentions. Yet his difference became a source for laughter, which is inherently tied to racism.

63 replies . 167 retweets 1,252 likes
· 31 Dec 2017
Replying to

Blackface has a history of ridicule and mockery, dehumanizing a particular race; it is part of racism. The comedian did not intend to condone discrimination, but not having racist intentions is an invalid excuse for an action that is considered offensive and morally repugnant.

49 replies . 294 retweets 1,604 likes
· 2 Jan 2018
Replying to

Have you actually paid any attention to how much detail Hama-chan(the comedian) cares about? The clothes, shoes, he really wanted to be Eddy Murphy. We can see his love and respect for Eddy Murphy’s epic comedy. BUT YOU DON’T. You see minstrel show, slaves and hate.

48 replies . 85 retweets 551 likes
· 31 Dec 2017
Replying to

just learn and respect our, Japanese traditional monomane(mocking) culture. and you'll see that it's without any discriminative meaning.

86 replies . 46 retweets 457 likes
· 3 Jan 2018
Replying to

“Blackness is being treated as a tool for comedy, for laughs, and that impacts how I’m perceived and treated on a daily basis here,” explains McNeil. “Do you think these comedians care about that? I doubt it. They should. The quality of my life is affected by them.” ...exactly !

41 replies . 136 retweets 651 likes
· 2 Jan 2018

No, I see a disregard for the feelings and for the impact his actions have on the lives of actual black people. I understand he has a job to do, but if he can't do his job without offensive racial mimicry and blackface, then that's just sad. He needs new writers

Replying to @photonka @LocoHama @haganemix
Have you actually paid any attention to how much detail Hama-chan(the comedian) cares about? The clothes, shoes, he really wanted to be Eddy Murphy. We can see his love and respect for Eddy Murphy’s epic comedy. BUT YOU DON’T. You see minstrel show, slaves and hate.
39 replies . 193 retweets 743 likes
· 31 Dec 2017
Replying to

What’s striking about ,to anyone who has studied or visited, is how clearly & highly sophisticated it is on one hand, with such attention to the most subtle details,yet willfully ignorant & self absolving of its own xenophobia & yes racism. ? 止めてください。

23 replies . 323 retweets 1,147 likes
· 31 Dec 2017
Replying to

Hi Melafela, As an ex-Japanese (now a US citizen) I totally understand your observation. Totally on point. I took liberty to translate your comment into Japanese so more people will become aware of it. I hope some positive change will come down the road..

「日本について学んだり訪れた人が驚くのは、細かなところまで気の届く洗練と清潔さの一方で、人種差別や外国人排斥から意図的に目を背け自分たちのことだけ考える点だ。ブラックフェイス、やめてください」
9 replies . 86 retweets 463 likes
· 31 Dec 2017

I love Japan My home of 13 years. I want the best for her. The nightmare scenario is: Opening Ceremony , Japan naively sends a doowop group out to pay homage to black athletes. What a fiasco that'll be! So I implore you please now

20 replies . 282 retweets 715 likes

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